# US 12,179,429 B1 · Adaptor for additive manufacturing device that improves printing efficiency by reducing resin usage

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- Number: US 12,179,429 B1
- Document ID: US12179429B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 18/498,235
- Filed: 2023-10-31
- Granted: 2024-12-31
- Earliest claimed: 2020-08-04
- Assignees: Florida A&M University
- Applicants: Florida A&M University
- Inventors: Mandip Sachdeva; Arvind Bagde; Keb Mosley-Kellum; Satyanarayan Dev; Thanh Dinh
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12179429B1

## CPC

- B29C 64/255: Enclosures for the building material, e.g. powder containers
- A61K 9/0021: {Intradermal administration, e.g. through microneedle arrays or needleless injectors}
- B29C 64/124: using layers of liquid which are selectively solidified
- B29C 64/129: characterised by the energy source therefor, e.g. by global irradiation combined with a mask
- B29C 64/171: specially adapted for manufacturing multiple 3D objects
- B29C 64/245: Platforms or substrates (support structures intended to be sacrificed after manufacture B29C64/40)
- B33Y 10/00: Processes of additive manufacturing
- B33Y 30/00: Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
- A61M 2037/0053: {Methods for producing microneedles}
- B33Y 80/00: Products made by additive manufacturing
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)
- A61K: PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES (devices or methods specially adapted for bringing pharmaceutical products into particular physical or administering forms A61J3/00; chemical aspects of, or use of materials for deodorisation of air, for disinfection or sterilisation, or for bandages, dressings, absorbent pads or surgical articles A61L; soap compositions C11D)
- B33Y: ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL [3D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVE AGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3D PRINTING, STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING
- A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)}

## Abstract

Described herein relates to a multi-component adaptor assembly including a resin reservoir adaptor disposed on a printing surface of a preexisting additive manufacturing device, and including a build platform adaptor secured to a translatable arm of the preexisting additive manufacturing device. The resin reservoir adaptor is used to modify an existing resin reservoir by creating one or more smaller reservoirs within the larger housing, thereby reducing an amount of resin stored within the device to reduce resin waste. Moreover, the rotating and/or sliding build platform adaptor is designed to selectively contact one or more of the reservoirs of the resin reservoir adaptor, thereby selectively printing components of an additive manufactured process. The multi-component adaptor assembly allows for additive manufacturing projects using less resin with fewer waste products; simultaneous printing of identical structures; and the selective printing of different components of a structure during a single printing cycle.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of printing an additive manufactured structure, the method comprising the steps of:
disposing a resin reservoir adaptor on a printing surface of an additive manufacturing machine, the resin reservoir adaptor including a reservoir having an associated area and an associated volume less than an associated area and an associated volume of the printing surface;
securing a build platform adaptor to a translatable arm of the additive manufacturing machine via a connector of the build platform adaptor, the build platform adaptor including a plurality of printing platforms disposed below the connector, such that the plurality of printing platforms of the build platform adaptor are disposed above the resin reservoir adaptor;
filling a cavity defined by the resin reservoir adaptor with an amount of a resin;
lowering the build platform adaptor via the translatable arm of the additive manufacturing machine;
receiving one of the plurality of printing platforms within the resin reservoir adaptor via the cavity;
contacting at least a portion of the amount of the resin with the one of the plurality of printing platforms;
and
printing an additive manufactured structure with the at least the portion of the amount of the resin via the one of the plurality of printing platforms.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of passing ultraviolet light from the printing surface of the additive manufacturing machine through the resin reservoir adaptor to cure the additive manufactured structure.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the resin reservoir adaptor includes a transparent bottom surface wall to allow the ultraviolet let to pass therethrough.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the resin reservoir adaptor further comprises a plurality of interconnected reservoirs having equal area and volume, the plurality of interconnected reservoirs having a cumulative area and a cumulative volume that is less than the associated area and the associated volume of the printing surface.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, further comprising a step of filling each of the plurality of interconnected reservoirs with an amount of an identical resin.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, further comprising the steps of filling at least one of the plurality of interconnected reservoirs with a first resin, and filling at least another of the plurality of interconnected reservoirs includes a second resin, such that the additive manufactured structure includes a component made from the first resin and a component made from the second resin.

### Claim 7 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein each of the plurality of printing platforms having equal area and volume.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the step of receiving the printing platform within the resin reservoir adaptor further comprises simultaneously receiving each of the plurality of printing platforms within an associated one of the plurality of interconnected reservoirs.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, further comprising a step of linearly translating the plurality of printing platforms while received within the plurality of interconnected reservoirs.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, further comprising the steps of raising the plurality of printing platforms via the translatable arm of the additive manufacturing machine, rotating the plurality of printing platforms 90° about the connector, and lowering the plurality of printing platforms to be simultaneously received within each of the plurality of interconnected reservoirs.